The present invention relates generally to a computerized system for determining a customized feed for animals, such as cattle, swine, poultry, equines, fish, crustaceans, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to determining a feed mix that is formulated to produce a heat increment value based on animal needs and/or characteristics, available ingredients, and cost of production.
In general, animal feed products are compositions of a large variety of raw materials or ingredients. The ingredients can be selected to optimize the amount of any given nutrient or combination of nutrients in an animal feed product based upon the nutrient composition of the ingredients used.
The nutritional composition of any one feed ingredient can be used in combination with the nutritional composition of every other ingredient in the feed to produce an animal feed that maximizes or minimizes an evaluation criteria. One example of an evaluation criteria is the growth and production rate of the animal in the shortest amount of time. Other examples of evaluation criteria can include, but are not limited to, a work rate for an animal, an appearance of an animal, a health state of an animal, etc. Animal feed producers have recognized that certain nutritional compositions help animals to meet or exceed evaluation criteria better than other nutritional compositions. For example, a particular cow feed composition can be made that will deliver an improved balance of essential amino acids post ruminally. This has has been shown to have the effect of increasing the cow""s milk production.
Similarly, animal feed producers have recognized that certain environmental factors or environmental conditions can impede animals in meeting or exceeding evaluation criteria. For example, diseased or stressed animals, or animals that are exposed to excessive heat for extended durations are less likely to meet evaluation criteria.
Maximizing the speed and frequency with which animals meet the evaluation criteria generally is desirable. Maximizing criteria satisfaction also may include maximizing some positive criteria, such as total muscle gain, or minimizing a negative criteria, such as diminished gains or even losses during heat stress.
A composition can be used in several forms: complete feed form, concentrate form, blender form and base mix form. An example of the complete feed form can include wheat middlings, corn, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, distillers grains or distillers grains with solubles, blood meal, salt, macro-minerals, trace minerals, and vitamins.
Further, animal feed producers have recognized that desirable nutritional composition changes depending on the developmental stage of the animal in question (e.g. newborn, weaning, gestating). The ideal nutrient composition can also change based on additional factors, including the health of the animal and whether the animal is nursing. Therefore, animal feed producers have recognized that by mixing ingredients to produce an ideal nutritional composition for particular animals at particular growth stages, they can meet evaluation criteria.
Thus, there is a continuing need for methods and systems for maximizing nutritional criteria satisfaction. Further, there is a need for a system and method to create a customized animal feed formulated to satisfy some requirement.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is related to a system for determining a customized feed for at least one animal. The determination of the customized feed includes generating a customized feed formulation based on a nutritional profile including a desirable heat increment.
An exemplary embodiment is related to a system for determining a customized feed for at least one animal. The system can include a first memory portion configured to store animal data representative of the characteristics of the animal, a second memory portion configured to store feed data representative of feed ingredients, and a data processing circuit in communication with the memory portions and configured to generate a nutritional profile including a desirable heat increment value for the animal based upon the animal data. The data processing circuit can be further configured to generate formulation data representative of a combination of feed ingredients. The formulation data can be generated by the data processing circuit based upon the nutritional profile data and the feed data.
An exemplary embodiment is related to a system for determining customized feed for at least one animal. The system can include a first memory portion configured to store animal data representative of the characteristics of the animal, a second memory portion configured to store feed data representative of feed ingredients, a third memory portion configured to store evaluation data representative of at least one evaluation criteria, and a data processing circuit in communication with the memory portions and configured to generate a nutritional profile including a desirable heat increment value for the animal based upon the animal data. The data processing circuit can be further configured to generate formulation data representative of a combination of feed ingredients. The formulation data can be generated by the data processing circuit based upon the nutritional profile data, the feed data and the evaluation data.
Another exemplary embodiment is related to a system for determining customized feed for at least one animal. The system includes a first memory means for storing animal data representative of the characteristics of the animal, a second memory means for storing feed data representative of feed ingredients, a third memory means for storing evaluation data representative of at least one evaluation criteria, and a processing means for generating nutritional profile data representative of a desirable heat increment value for the animal based upon the animal data. The processing means can generate formulation data representative of a combination of feed ingredients. This formulation data can be generated based upon the nutritional profile data, the feed data and the evaluation data.
Another exemplary embodiment can be related to a method for determining customized feed for at least one animal. The method can include storing animal data representative of the characteristics of the animal, storing feed data representative of feed ingredients, generating nutritional profile data including a representation of a desirable heat increment value for the animal based upon the animal data, and generating formulation data representative of a combination of feed ingredients. The formulation data can be generated based upon the nutritional profile data and the feed data.
Another exemplary embodiment can be related to a method for determining customized feed for at least one animal. The method can include storing animal data representative of the characteristics of the animal, storing feed data representative of feed ingredients, storing evaluation data representative of at least one evaluation criteria, generating nutritional profile data including a representation of a desirable heat increment value for the animal based upon the animal data, and generating formulation data representative of a combination of feed ingredients. The formulation data can be generated based upon the nutritional profile data, the feed data, and the evaluation data.
Other principle features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description, and the appended claims.